University
Launches Initiative to Improve Administrative Structure, Get
More Faculty and Staff Involved in Programs

Posted November
17, 1999

Berkeley
students help K-12 students through the Early
Academic Outreach Program, one of the more than 100
academic outreach partnerships between the
university and k-12 schools. Jane Scherr
photo

Berkeley has at least 100 partnerships with the community
and schools -- all working to help prepare K-12 students for
college admission.

The challenge is how to integrate their different
approaches so that together they provide the maximum benefit
for schools, students and families.

"We need to work successfully," said Chancellor Berdahl,
"to build collaborations that enhance the effectiveness of
our programs at the same time that they respect the
individual cultures and goals of each."

That's where a new effort, to research university and
school partnerships here and across the nation, comes in.

By taking a look at the most successful models of
academic outreach, the campus hopes to lay the groundwork
for a more coordinated academic outreach program involving
more faculty and staff.

"The current organizational structure, which is rather
diffuse, isn't working as effective as it might," Executive
Vice Chancellor and Provost Carol Christ said. "We have to
ask ourselves what makes sense and how should we do this."

Research is being conducted by Gail Kaufman, chief of
staff for Undergraduate Affairs, and Nina Robinson, manager
of policy, planning and analysis for Admissions and
Enrollment. Together with Eugene Garcia, dean of the
Graduate School of Education, they will look for the best
models to emulate.

The work is important, Kaufman said, in light of the
university's desire to work closely with K-12 schools and to
achieve more diversity.

"So many people are concerned about these issues, so you
want to obviously make your investment -- not just monetary
investment, but time and energy and commitment -- all work
together," said Kaufman. "The question is how to be
organized and create the synergy to make that happen."

Garcia, in his new role as adviser to the Chancellor on
Berkeley Educational Partnerships, will use the research
findings to help plan organizational changes. While
continuing as dean, he will also serve as a campus spokesman
for educational outreach and advise Berdahl and Christ.

An important aspect of his role as adviser to Christ and
Berdahl will be developing a faculty center for academic
outreach.

The center, which may not have a dedicated physical
space, will bring together resources for faculty members to
create outreach opportunities. It will help faculty members
already involved in outreach do more, and encourage those
not involved to take a role.

"I think we need to assess what exactly the faculty are
doing and in what areas they may be able to do more," Garcia
said, "and create a structure which allows that to happen."

Academic outreach is a long-standing tradition at
Berkeley, said Garcia.

"We always want to bring the very best students to
Berkeley," he said. "We want to be able to say to the
students who are the best students in the K-12 segment that
Berkeley is a viable option to them. We can't sit back and
rest on our laurels and hope they apply here."

But outreach is not just about recruitment, Garcia said.
Berkeley must build partnerships with community colleges,
other universities and the K-12 schools to prepare students
for higher education.

"We're coming to a new educational realization that we're
all working together," he said.

Diversity is also key, Garcia said. Outreach allows the
university to help underrepresented minorities prepare for
UC admission, hopefully leading to a student body that
closely mirrors the ethnically diverse population of
California.

The team hopes to complete the research phase of its work
by March. Changes based on its findings should be
implemented in one to three years, according to Garcia.